SLLBTT Chapter 11
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 11⊱⊷⋇
Leng Jiao shook his head, opening his mouth to make a "baa baa baa" sound, then collapsed on the ground convulsing.
Lanmao hastily jumped forward to rescue him.
Seeing this, everyone became extremely nervous. Leng Jiao was swiftly whisked away to a side hall, where after some time, his agitated state finally subsided. Lanmao went to report in the main hall, reporting that Leng Jiao was now fine. The Snow Wolf King, holding Liu Jiao's hand, went to the side hall to visit and asked what happened. Leng Jiao replied, "This is a hereditary illness in our family, something many of us in the sheep tribe have to some extent."
Lanmao exclaimed, "Could it be sheep epilepsy?"
Leng Jiao shook his head and answered, "No."
"What is it?"
"Wolf dizziness," Leng Jiao replied, "It's in the genes of sheep to be fearful of wolves."
Upon hearing this, the Snow Wolf King understood it was nonsense but chose not to expose it, only offering a smile.
However, Liu Jiao expressed concern, "Heavens! You get dizzy at the sight of wolves? Why would the family send you to the Wolf Palace? That's like sending a lamb to the wolf..." With these words, it seemed sending Leng Jiao to the palace was indeed like "sending a lamb to the wolf's mouth."
"That's the idea," Leng Jiao responded, "So whoever from our tribe goes, it's all the same."
Lanmao, however, remained dumbfounded, only asking, "Is it true? Why haven't we seen this when the snow sheep tribe's officials come to pay respects?"
"Yes, it's just that sheep have varying degrees of fear towards wolves, most of which can be overcome. Honestly, I, too, encounter wolf demons on ordinary days, but the reaction is never this severe. However, it's the first time I've faced such a valiant and imposing wolf demon, so I couldn't control myself. It's truly disrespectful, a lapse in etiquette. I apologize before the Great King." With these words, Leng Jiao rose from the bed and bowed to the Great King.
Lanmao and Liu Jiao were both left bewildered, muttering, "Indeed, the Great King is exceptionally valiant..."
The Snow Wolf King smiled. "In that case, let's have fewer visits in the future to avoid triggering your condition."
"I dare not," Leng Jiao replied solemnly.
"Lan'er, escort this sheep back to Chunguang Pavilion. Summon a doctor to examine him thoroughly," the Snow Wolf King commanded.
"Yes," Lanmao complied, personally escorting Leng Jiao back to Chunguang Pavilion.
Watching Lanmao accompany Leng Jiao back, Liu Jiao said, "Actually, I should also head back for dinner."
However, the Snow Wolf King insisted, "Stay and chat with me for a while longer."
Liu Jiao agreed, engaging in casual conversation with the Snow Wolf King on the bed. Liu Jiao surveyed the surroundings, only then recalling that this side hall was where he and the Snow Wolf King first met.
The bed remained unchanged from back then, with the lingering scent of sheep now added to it.
So... could anyone sleep on this bed?
Suddenly, Liu Jiao's mind drifted.
As long as they were a consort, they could sleep on the Great King's bed, right?
This thought made Liu Jiao feel a bit uneasy.
However, the Snow Wolf King supported his shoulder and asked, "Is studying becoming challenging lately?"
As soon as he heard this question, the odd emotions in Liu Jiao's heart were diluted, replaced by a strong sense of fatigue and helplessness. He nodded heavily and said, "Super challenging!"
The Snow Wolf King comforted him, "It's alright. I've already had them lower the difficulty level. I believe you'll catch up soon."
Liu Jiao leaned on the Snow Wolf King's shoulder and said, "What if even with lowered difficulty, I still can't learn?"
"How could that be?" The Snow Wolf King looked at Liu Jiao, who wore a troubled expression. "I've enlisted the best teachers. You will learn well."
Liu Jiao nodded, "The tribe leader always says I'm dumb and uneducated. Actually, I do want to learn. It's just that I haven't had the chance..."
"Who dares to call you dumb?" The Snow Wolf King declared, "Let him lift his head, so I can see him!"
"Aiya, even the Great King hasn't been studying diligently!" Liu Jiao shook his head. "Just the day before yesterday, the teacher said that people can't lift their own heads."
Saying this, Liu Jiao even cited an example question:
The situation that might occur among the following is ( )
A. Legend says that Xiang Yu could lift himself up by his hair.
B. If the Earth loses gravity, even with the cup upside down, water won't flow out.
C. Astronauts walking in space and on Earth experience the same conditions.
D. If an object slides down a slope, the direction of the gravitational force acting on the object will be downward along the slope.
The Snow Wolf King nodded and praised, "Well done, you still remember the question!"
"What's the use of remembering the question?" Liu Jiao, feeling troubled, said while holding his head, "I can't remember the answers!"
Every day, Liu Jiao diligently reviewed and did homework. During weekend quizzes, when he encountered old questions, he could instantly recognize, "I've done this one!" Then, the next second, he would slump into frustration, "But what's the answer again?"
The Snow Wolf King consoled him, "No worries. Starting next week, there's no need to study Physics anymore."
"Really?" Liu Jiao's bright eyes widened. "What about Chemistry?"
"Not studying that either."
"Biology?"
"Not studying."
Liu Jiao, deeply moved, asked, "Then what are we studying?"
The Snow Wolf King replied, "Chinese, Math, and English."
Liu Jiao still had a headache.
"Alright, let's not talk about studying." Seeing Liu Jiao frowning, the Snow Wolf King eased the tension. "What do you like to do?"
Liu Jiao answered, "I like running in the mountains."
"Then let's go for a run." The Snow Wolf King stood up.
Liu Jiao blinked, then with a "whoosh," jumped out of the window. The Snow Wolf King followed him. Liu Jiao saw a wall and leaped over it. The Snow Wolf King followed suit. Seeing the Snow Wolf King easily keeping up, Liu Jiao began to climb and leap more casually, with the Snow Wolf King still trailing behind him like a second tail.
The two of them moved like acrobats, circling around the palace for a large part, running until the sun turned golden. They sat on the roof with glazed tiles, watching the radiant sunset roll down the west.
Glancing at the Snow Wolf King, Liu Jiao noticed that despite the golden sunlight bathing his face, he could still see the fair complexion of Snow Wolf King, like snow-capped peaks on high mountains. Even in the sunlight, it retained a cold and icy demeanor.
Suddenly, Liu Jiao recalled a saying, "Accompanying the ruler is like accompanying a tiger."
It was something his kin reminded him of before entering the palace, "Accompanying the Great King is like accompanying a tiger. No matter how well the Great King treats you, you must not become spoiled. You must remain vigilant, just like sleeping in the woods at night."
He argued, "But the Great King is a wolf, not a tiger."
"Wolves are even more unpredictable! Ever heard of the saying 'wolf's heart, dog's lungs'?"
Liu Jiao, a bit dazed, mumbled, "Wolf's heart, dog's lungs..."
The Snow Wolf King, with keen ears, heard these four words. He turned to look at Liu Jiao and asked, "What?"
Liu Jiao shivered, had a quick idea, and said, "I was thinking about a new idiom I learned..."
However, the Snow Wolf King questioned, "Why learn this? Is it a good phrase?"
Adhering to his kin's advice to flatter at every opportunity, Liu Jiao hurriedly said, "With 'wolf' in the phrase, it must be a good one!"
"Really?" the Snow Wolf King teased, "Then create a sentence for me to hear."
Liu Jiao's tongue got tangled for a while, and with a forced effort, he said, "Wolf's heart... dog's lungs, are both... excellent... ingredients?"
Translator's Notes: Wolf's heart and dog's lungs mean cruel and unscrupulous.